[SML] Boston Mayor's aides convicted of demanding music festival hire union stagehands.

[Dale Farmer]

https://www.bostonherald.com/2019/08/07/verdict-reached-in-city-hall-extortion-trial/

I don't think this one is behind a paywall, unlike the boston globe's 
story.

Short version.   Two senior city hall staffers were in a final meeting 
with the Boston Calling music festival organizers days before the event. 
  They say they asked the organizers to hire union stagehands.  But they 
still had not handed over the final city permits needed for the event 
when they asked.  The festival organizers felt that if they didn't agree 
to what they viewed as a demand, they wouldn't get the needed city 
permits.    They hired union stagehands and got the permits.  Someone 
asked the FBI to investigate and this trial resulted.

My memory (Unreliable on this, as I never worked the event myself) was 
that in prior years, they used a mix of paid non-union stagehands, and 
volunteers. anyone with first hand knowledge, feel free to correct facts.)

My opinion, big black eye to the union's reputation.

Dale